Comments of the week

Don’t miss this chance to help the unborn

SIR – Fifty years ago the Abortion Act was passed. Since then more than eight million abortions have been carried out in Britain. More and more babies are being born – and survive – at 23 weeks gestation and yet the law allows abortion up to 24 weeks and beyond.

Instead, there are those who would remove the few, modest safeguards in place – such as the requirement for two doctors to authorise an abortion – and discard the right of doctors, nurses and pharmacists to exercise a conscientious objection to be involved in abortion. In the past two years we have seen doctors performing abortions on grounds of gender not being disciplined by the law.

With the general election approaching, the electorate has an opportunity to question our candidates about this most important matter. We can ask: are you in favour of keeping the present law unchanged? Or are you in favour of lowering the upper time limit for abortion? Are you in favour of protecting the rights of the disabled in the womb? Do you support the right of conscientious objection for those in the medical profession? Do you oppose abortion on grounds of gender?

Each year in Britain there are around 200,000 abortions. This is not to ignore the deep problems that many women face in pregnancy, but surely there are better, more caring and positive ways of dealing with such problems.

Yours faithfully,

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